told his father on one occasion
that he had devoted himself for a fortnight to champagne and the
theatres. But this had been taken as a joke. He had been fairly
punctual at his place of business and had shown no symptoms of fast
living. But now it occurred to him that fast living would be the only
thing for him. He had been quite willing to apply himself to marriage
and a steady life; but fortune had not favoured him. If he drank
too much now, and lay in bed, and became idle, it was not his fault.
There came into his head an idea that Ayala and Colonel Stubbs
between them must look to that. Could he meet Ayala he would explain
to her how his character as a moral man had been altogether destroyed
by her conduct;--and should he meet Colonel Stubbs he would explain
something to him also.

A new club had been established in London lately called the
Mountaineers, which had secured for itself handsome lodgings in
Piccadilly, and considered itself to be, among clubs, rather a
comfortable institution than otherwise. It did not as yet affect
much fashion, having hitherto secured among its members only two
lords,--and they were lords by courtesy. But it was a pleasant,
jovial place, in which the delights of young men were not impeded
by the austerity of their elders. Its name would be excused only on
the plea that all other names available for a club had already been
appropriated in the metropolis. There was certainly nothing in the
club peculiarly applicable to mountains. But then there are other
clubs in London with names which might be open to similar criticism.
It was the case that many young men engaged in the City had been
enrolled among its members, and it was from this cause, no doubt,
that Tom Tringle was regarded as being a leading light among the
Mountaineers. It was here that the champagne had been drunk to which
Tom had alluded when talking of his love to his father. Now, in his
despair, it seemed good to him to pass a considerable portion of his
time among the Mountaineers.

"You'll dine here, Faddle?" he said one evening to a special friend
of his, a gentleman also from the City, with whom he had been dining
a good deal during the last week.

"I suppose I shall," said Faddle, "but ain't we coming it a little
strong? They want to know at the Gardens what the deuce it is I'm
about." The Gardens was a new row of houses, latterly christened
Badminton Gardens, in which resided the father and mother of Faddle.

"I